Children's Health

Yvonne Condes helps her son Alec get ready for baseball practice.

In Many Families, Exercise Is By Appointment Only

1:18pm February 28, 2013

Many parents struggle to find the time to get their kids the exercise they need. But some parents are trying to make walking and biking part of their daily lives, not something they have to schedule.

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For some kids who grow up in poverty, the bond developed with Mom is especially important in dealing with stress.

To Spot Kids Who Will Overcome Poverty, Look At Babies

6:25am February 27, 2013

by Alix Spiegel

Researchers say that the heartbeats and breathing of babies may help identify the kids most likely to struggle with poverty later on. Biology matters, the scientists say, but so does baby's relationship with Mom.

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Pediatricians Urged To Treat Ear Infections More Cautiously

6:40pm February 25, 2013

by Rob Stein

The new guidelines for treating childhood ear infections are intended to reduce unnecessary antibiotics use. They say doctors should look at the eardrum to make sure a child really has an ear infection, instead of relying on symptoms. And if the child doesn't have severe symptoms, see if the ear gets better on its own.

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Despite public health campaigns urging women in the U.S. to take folic acid, many are still not taking the supplements when they become pregnant.

Health & Safety

Folic Acid For Pregnant Mothers Cuts Kids' Autism Risk

1:19pm February 25, 2013

by Jon Hamilton

A study of more than 85,000 women in Norway found that those who started taking a folic acid supplement four weeks before getting pregnant were about 40 percent less likely to have a child who developed the disorder. Mothers had to continue taking the supplement during the first eight weeks of pregnancy to get the full benefit.

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Brad McDonald and his 14-year-old daughter, Madalyn, are working to understand each other during her teenage years.

Health & Safety

How Parents Can Learn To Tame A Testy Teenager

11:41am February 11, 2013

by Patti Neighmond

Whether fighting about texting or curfew, the key to resolving parent-child disputes is by helping them understand why they're angry in the first place. It usually turns out to be another stress like trouble at school or fear of embarrassment.

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Jennie and Kristian Aspelin pose in a pumpkin patch with their children two weeks before three-month-old Johan died.

Health & Safety

Dismissed Case Raises Questions On Shaken Baby Diagnosis

3:27pm January 29, 2013

by Joseph Shapiro

Kristian Aspelin had one thing in his favor: enough money to pay for medical experts. The experts were able to convince prosecutors that his infant son's death was an accident.

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Some parents have worried that kids get too many vaccinations too quickly. A review of all the available research suggests those concerns are misplaced.

Schedule Of Childhood Vaccines Declared Safe

7:16am January 18, 2013

by Patti Neighmond

Parents will be reassured to hear there's no evidence linking the current timeline for vaccinations to health problems. A review of all available scientific data looked at a wide range of medical conditions — including diabetes, autism and epilepsy — before declaring that there's no reason to worry.

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President Obama signs a series of executive orders Wednesday about the administration's gun law proposals as Vice President Biden and children who wrote letters to the White House about gun violence look on.

Health & Safety

Obama's Plans For Guns Put Focus On Mental Health Of The Young

11:32am January 17, 2013

by Sarah Varney

The president's push to address gun violence and mental health centers largely on training teachers and others who work with children, teens and young adults to recognize illness as it's developing.

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Dr. Tom Nary is the director of health services at Boston College.

Health & Safety

Colleges Try To Curtail Flu Risk For Students

7:54pm January 15, 2013

by Tovia Smith

As students return to class from winter break, campus health official are trying to avert an outbreak. Colleges in Boston are especially worried after the mayor's declaration last week of a public health emergency in the city.

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Tamara Burney's kindergartners eat lunch in the Hillview Elementary cafeteria in Jefferson County, Ala.

For Many Kids, Winter Break Means Hungry Holidays

6:10pm January 03, 2013

by Dan Carsen

Most kids look forward to their school's winter break. But millions of students in the U.S. get free or reduced-price meals at school, and when school is closed, many of those children eat less until classes are back in session.

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